Norman John Tice died peacefully surrounded by family at Laclede Groves on December 31, 2020. He was born in St. Louis on May 15, 1935 to John and Kathryn Tice. He was an only child, but growing up in the Dogtown neighborhood he was surrounded by many friends. He graduated from Southwest High School and went on to Olin School of Business at Washington University where he was a member of the Theta Xi fraternity. Norm eventually would earn the Distinguished Alumni Award from Olin. After graduating he served honorably in the Air National Guard at Scott Air Force Base.
Norm married his high school sweetheart, Arlene Bruning, and began a 65-year love affair and genuine partnership. Together they raised three children: Holly, Sharon, and Paul. Norm was known to his family as “Chip,” and was a true family man who was very proud of his children and adored his grandchildren and great grandson. He took pride in their accomplishments both large and small, always took an interest in their lives, and was never shy about giving advice. He lived his life by the credo of placing family first and work second.
Norm began his career in banking in 1957 working for Boatman’s Bank starting in the collections department and quickly rising to Vice President. He left to become President of City Bank in the Central West End in 1969 where he was a community fixture. He helped lead the redevelopment of this community by supporting many small business and real estate developments. City Bank was ultimately bought out in by Boatmen’s Bancshares, where he remained until he retired in 1996 as Chair of Boatmen’s Credit Card Bank.
It was Norm’s work with credit cards, just as they became widely accepted by merchants and consumers, that may have been the most distinctive aspect of his professional career. He viewed credit cards as liberating. They allowed consumers, for the first time, to access credit without getting the lender’s pre-approval. Norm helped start several companies related to credit cards including Credit Systems Inc., General Credit Forms Inc., and Clearent, LLC. Norm also played a key role locating Mastercard’s global operations center in St. Louis. He served on MasterCard International’s board of directors for 17 years and served as its Chairman for three years.
In addition to his career, Norm devoted significant time to charities and nonprofits. Shortly after his daughter Sharon was born with Down syndrome, he worked with other parents to build nonprofits that would support individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. He was one of the founders of Rainbow Village which provides community housing, and was active with the St. Louis Arc for many years. His advocacy of mental health issues led to his appointment to the Missouri Mental Health Commission serving both Republican and Democratic governors. As Chair of the Commission, he worked with others to make landmark legislative reforms to the mental health laws of Missouri. He also chaired the boards of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri and the Lutheran Charities Association. He served on numerous other nonprofit boards including the National Council of the Brown School at Washington University and St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
Norm’s family is comforted knowing he in heaven reunited with those who have gone before including his daughter Sharon.
Norm is survived by his wife Arlene, his daughter Holly Falleri and her husband Frank, his son Paul Tice and his wife Nancy Parker Tice, grandchildren Matthew Falleri, Stephanie Falleri Gaskin and her husband Spence, John Parker Tice, Eric Tice, and Daniel Tice, and his great-grandchild Francis Gaskin.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the St. Louis Arc 1177 N Warson Rd, St. Louis, MO 63132 or Rainbow Village 1240 Dautel Lane, St. Louis, MO 63146.
Arlene, Holly and Paul, Norm was truly a good and faithful servant to his Lord, his family, his clients and his community and a friend and role model to me. He has truly earned his place among those who enjoy the joys promised by God. Norm, we will meet again in Paradise.
I am so sorry to learn that Norm is no longer with us. I worked with him at Boatmen’s Bank many years ago. I came to know him as a person whose deep intelligence was matched by his deep empathy for people, especially the vulnerable.
Inside the financial services industry he was known as a pioneer in innovation in financial services. He is the reason Mastercard has such a large presence in St Louis. He was an industry leader from the time credit card approvals were given verbally by a live person who roller skated around a warehouse to find the paper receipts from card transactions and give the clerk on the phone a yes or no on the transaction in question, to the time when transactions were approved across the Atlantic electronically. That enormous leap forward was possible because Norm recruited a couple of computer scientists from McDonnell-Douglas to see what applications there might be found for the payment card industry.
Norm was a gifted problem solver, and helped establish Rainbow Village to provide lifelong housing for adults with developmental disabilities. He recruited me to serve on the board where I saw first hand how he and other civic leaders brought an impulse to help to life and turned it into an organization that has helped fill a need for decades.
I was privileged to know him and send my deepest respect and condolences to Arlene, Paul and Nancy, and the rest of his beloved family. His many contributions to the community will keep his memory alive. Thank you, Norm
Arlene, Paul, Nancy and Holly, I am sorry to hear of the passing of Norm. It was a pleasure to have worked with him when it came to Sharon. He made sure I had everything I needed to do my job every year. I will always remember Norm and Sharon. May he be at peace as he is with the Lord, Jesus and Holy Spirit and Sharon. He be watching over his beloved family.
Norm was our first landlord and banker at City Bank. Terry McCormack and I had an exceptional relationship with Norm as a trusted friend. Our first project was Rainbow Village which Norm asked us to do.
He was a dear friend and a gentleman. There are few like him whom I have met in the past fifty years working throughout the United States. He should have been Mayor!! He will be remembered always.
To Arlene, Holly, Frank, Paul, Nancy and the rest of the a family my sincere condolences. Norm was unequivocally the most influential mentor in my entire professional life and to this day I often hear his voice when pondering problems, balancing options and anticipating outcomes for others. He was a quiet leader with impeccable integrity, an entrepreneurial spirit that placed him at the forefront of the development and evolution of the world’s payment system, but as importantly, always a humble man who put his family and community first!
When a took my first job as a teller at City Bank back in 1982, my dad told me I’d never work for a finer boss than Norm and after 40 years, never a truer statement was made. I know a will continue to hear from Norm as I ponder problems, balance options and think how to help others.
God Bless Norm and all of the Tice family.
I met Norm at Clearent. Besides all the business accolades he earned over a most distinguished career; I wanted to simply state he was a sincere, honest and good man. My condolences to his family. He will be dearly missed by all that had the distinct honor and pleasure of making his acquaintance.
norm was a good friend and a great help to me and to central bank. we served on a number of Lutheran boards of directors and norm was always a voice of reason.
I will miss him
Rick Bagy
I am so sorry to hear of Norm’s passing. He was a very valuable member of the Brown School National Council and I benefitted from his wisdom and advice. My prayers and condolences to Paul and the rest of the family.
Bernie Wong, fellow Council member
Arlene I am sorry for your loss.
Paul, Nancy, Holly and Frank. My heart goes out to you all and your families! I got to know Norm and Arlene on a personal basis instead of business. I met them through a dear friend of theirs. I always told him it was a God thing that we met , he agreed. I started out doing housecleaning ended up being a caregiver and dear friend. Norm was always so happy , what a personality and laugh!!! Him and Arlene would be in the next room talking and laughing every day. Watching their sports and politics. They were so cute together! Norm never missed a holiday buying Arlene flowers and chocolate and a beautiful card! For the last 3-4 years he took such good care of his wife! He always had breakfast made with several fruits several juices and coffee and pills. And he made sure Arlene ate and took pills. He was always checking on her to see if she was ok. This is the wonderful man he was. This past summer he had his 85th birthday party! And he gave everyone there a gift! That was Norm! What a blessing he was!!! I can go on and on. But I know I miss him and can’t even imagine how his family will live without his smile , love and laugh and upbeat personality! But I know God will get them through! God bless you all!!! Barb Bills
So sorry to hear of Norman’s passing, it was pleasure meeting him one as a distance cousin. Sending prayers to the family!!
My life was enriched by Norm’s friendship and I am not alone. Conversations with Norm always left me with a wealth of new knowledge to ponder. Norm’s warmth, zest for more of everything life had to offer and caring for the vulnerable made the world a much better place. I am deeply sorry for your loss Arlene, and the rest of your family. Norm may be gone from our daily lives but he is not now, or ever, forgotten.
I just was informed of my friend, Norm’s passing. Norm was so important in my professional career and I’m proud to say I will miss his smile.
I loved Norm Tice. I shall never forget his kindness to me and my family and his encouragement and great support of me in my professional career. Words fail to express his influence. He was a master politician in the highest sense of that term in that he served others while giving them the credit he might otherwise have rightly claimed. Yes Doug, I remember -Recommendation, Background, and Situation Analysis. And in his wisdom he multiplied himself by giving so many like me the opportunity to serve and to be helped by learning to serve others. Thank you Holly and Paul and Nancy and Sharon and Arlene for sharing Norm with us.